Promising Fodder Research Articles

Carbon stock dynamics in soil as influenced by perennial grass-legume mixtures in southern dry zone of Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Vishweshwaraiah Canal Farm, Mandya, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore from July 2020 to June 2022 to study the carbon stock dynamics in soil as influenced by different perennial grass-legume mixtures in southern dry zone of Karnataka. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design comprising of twelve treatments and replicated thrice. The data revealed that among different grass-legume mixtures, paired row system of B×N hybrid + Desmanthus (2:5) recorded considerably higher credit of soil organic carbon (0.018%) and carbon sequestration in soil (1.12 Mg ha-1) followed by paired row system of Guinea grass + Desmanthus (2:3) (0.016% and 0.99 Mg ha-1, respectively) at the end of the second year. Further, significantly higher green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yield (1802.7, 355.7 and 41.5 q ha-1 year-1, respectively), gross and net returns (Rs. 3,44,072 and 2,58,752 ha-1 year-1, respectively) as well as benefit cost ratio (4.05) were observed with paired row system of B×N hybrid + Desmanthus (2:5) cropping system on a pooled basis which was on par with paired row system of Guinea grass + Desmanthus (2:3) with respect to crude protein yield (38.3 q ha-1 year-1) and B:C ratio (3.67) as compared to other grass-legume mixtures. Considering these results, B×N hybrid paired row + Desmanthus (2:5) followed by Guinea grass paired row + Desmanthus (2:3) were found as the most promising fodder cropping systems for meeting both farmer needs and soil sustainability.

Yield and quality of promising fodder grass varieties under varying shade levels in Kerala

An experiment was laid out at AICRP on Forage Crops and Utilization at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala, to assess the performance of different fodder grass varieties under varying shade levels. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. Treatments comprised of 3 shade levels (0, 25 and 50% shade) and five fodder varieties [bajra napier (BN) hybrid varieties Suguna, Susthira, CO-3, CO-5 and Guinea grass var. Suparna]. Among the shade levels, highest L:S ratio was recorded under open (1.53) and the highest leaf area was recorded under both 25 and 50% shade levels. Among the varieties, the highest tiller number was recorded in guinea grass var. Suparna (31.7), highest LSR in BN hybrid varieties CO-3 and CO-5 and highest leaf area in BN hybrid variety Susthira. The highest GFY (2418.7 q/ha) and DFY (604.7 q/ha) were recorded by CO-5 under open conditions. Under 25 and 50% shade levels, the highest GFY and DFY were recorded in guinea grass var. Suparna. The highest chlorophyll content was recorded in all four BN hybrid varieties under 50% shade than the other two shade levels. The interaction effect was nonsignificant on quality characteristics like crude protein and fiber contents. Among the shade levels, highest protein content was recorded under 50% shade level (11.7%). Among varieties, BN hybrid var. Suguna recorded the highest protein content (11.33%) and guinea grass var. Suparna had the lowest fiber content (23.84%). Considering the yield and quality of different BN hybrid varieties under varying shade levels, it was concluded that CO-5 is best suited for cultivation under open and Suparna for 25 and 50% shaded fields.

Optimization of Productivity of Fodder Crops with Green Conveyor System in the Context of Climate Instability in the North Kazakhstan Region

One of the main challenges in modern animal husbandry in North Kazakhstan is ensuring an uninterrupted supply of sufficient fodder crops. This research, conducted from 2019 to 2023, aimed to develop strategies for cultivating environmentally sustainable fodder crops capable of providing a stable fodder crop base under the changing climatic conditions of the North Kazakhstan region. The studies included analysis of air temperature and precipitation data as well as monitoring of fodder grass mixtures within a green fodder conveyor system. Different sowing dates for fodder crops and mixtures were selected for the development of the conveyor system. The range of experimental variants included fodder crops and their mixtures from various botanical families. The experiment involved both perennial (alfalfa and festulolium) and annual (corn, pea, sunflower, Sudan grass, oats, and rapeseed) crops. The highest green mass yields were achieved by the following variants: fodder crops of corn + pea—74.40 c/ha; mixtures of annual legume–grass crops in the pea + oats variant of the first sowing date—43.64 c/ha; Sudan grass + pea—45.72 c/ha; mixtures of perennial grasses in the second utilization term of alfalfa + festulolium—64.9 c/ha; and rapeseed sown at the first sowing date—46.61 c/ha. In terms of crude and digestible protein content, the best among the annual grass variants was the mixture of Sudan grass and pea (crude protein—33.59 g/kg, digestible protein—24.5 g/kg), and the best among the perennials was the variant of the first utilization term (crude protein—50.42 g/kg, digestible protein—38.2 g/kg). Regarding metabolizable energy content, the annual crop variant of corn + pea had a yield of 1.92 MJ/kg, and in the perennial variant, the mixture of alfalfa and festulolium in the first utilization term had a yield of 2.68 MJ/kg. Such an approach to creating green fodder conveyors can be crucial for developing effective strategies for adapting agriculture to climate change, including the selection of promising fodder crops and optimization of their placement. The results obtained can contribute to enhancing the productivity and sustainability of agricultural production in the North Kazakhstan region.

Pearl millet a promising fodder crop for changing climate: a review.

The agricultural sector faces colossal challenges amid environmental changes and a burgeoning human population. In this context, crops must adapt to evolving climatic conditions while meeting increasing production demands. The dairy industry is anticipated to hold the highest value in the agriculture sector in future. The rise in the livestock population is expected to result in an increased demand for fodder feed. Consequently, it is crucial to seek alternative options, as crops demand fewer resources and are resilient to climate change. Pearl millet offers an apposite key to these bottlenecks, as it is a promising climate resilience crop with significantly low energy, water and carbon footprints compared to other crops. Numerous studies have explored its potential as a fodder crop, revealing promising performance. Despite its capabilities, pearl millet has often been overlooked. To date, few efforts have been made to document molecular aspects of fodder-related traits. However, several QTLs and candidate genes related to forage quality have been identified in other fodder crops, which can be harnessed to enhance the forage quality of pearl millet. Lately, excellent genomic resources have been developed in pearl millet allowing deployment of cutting-edge genomics-assisted breeding for achieving a higher rate of genetic gains. This review would facilitate a deeper understanding of various aspects of fodder pearl millet in retrospect along with the future challenges and their solution. This knowledge may pave the way for designing efficient breeding strategies in pearl millet thereby supporting sustainable agriculture and livestock production in a changing world.

Selection of a multienzyme complex to reduce the content of anti-nutrients in the green mass of amaranth

In recent years, the issue of improving the poultry feed base in order to increase productivity and resistance to bacterial infections has been acute. One of the promising fodder crops is amaranth, which has a unique chemical composition rich in nutrients, especially protein. However, along with this, opinions differ about the content of anti-nutritional substances in its composition. The purpose of the work is to determine the content of anti–nutritional substances, as well as the selection of a multi-enzyme complex to reduce them. The object of study was the green mass of amaranth of the Giant variety (harvest 2022). Generally accepted methods of studying the chemical composition and content of anti-nutrients were used in the work. The selection of the enzymatic complex was carried out by bioconversion of the green mass of amarate. The bioconversion of the green mass of amaranth with the KEMZAYM ® plus P dry enzymatic complex contributed to a decrease in phytic acid and its salts by 35.3%.

Screening of the mogar collection samples according to productivity and biochemical composition of biomass

In the arid conditions of the Lower Volga region, mogar is a promising fodder crop. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to identify promising samples for the development of new varieties that would meet the requirements of domestic agricultural producers. The paper has presented the estimation results of the mogar varieties of the VIR genetic resources collection according to morphometric parameters, productivity, and nutritional value of aboveground biomass. The study was carried out in the department of perennial and annual grasses of the FSB-SI Russian Research and Project-technological Institute of sorghum and maize “Rossorgo” in 2021–2022. The objects of study were 36 mogar varieties of various ecological and geographical origin. Based on the estimation results of the initial material of mogar, ther have been identified the promising samples for further introduction in the breeding process to increase the values of individual traits, since it is advisable to use the following samples to improve the biochemical composition of the biomass, as k-1356 (Russia), k-1745 (Bulgaria), k-1748 (Bulgaria), k-1775 (Romania) to increase the content of crude protein (> 7.50 %); k-63 (USA), k-80 (USA), k-336 (Morocco), k-1854 (Hungary), k-1877 (the USA) to increase crude fat> 3.00% ; k-1356 (Russia), k-1850 (Hungary), k-1833 (China), Asket (st) (Russia) to increase crude ash >10.00%. The varieties k-605 (China), k-1027 (Kazakhstan), Atlant (Russia) are found promising for breeding work for high yields of aboveground biomass >20.00 t/ha. The studied mogar varieties k-336, k-605, k-993, k-1027, k-1726 according to the collection of fodder units per hectare exceeded the standard variety from 1.2 to 12.9 %. The highest gross energy yield per unit area, exceeding the indicator of the standard variety, was established for the varieties k-336 (Morocco), k-605 (China), k-993 (Romania), k-1027 (Kazakhstan), k-1726 (Canada), k-1775 (Romania).

Management of tree fodder banks for quality forage production and carbon sequestration in humid tropical cropping systems – An overview

Livestock forms an integral component of humid tropical cropping systems, providing food and financial security, employment, and insurance against crop failure for small scale farmers. However, livestock sector is seriously constrained by the drastic decline in fodder base and high cost of feeds, incurring huge economic loss to farmers. Hence fodder production should be intensified in cropping system by including alternate feeds like nutrient rich fodder trees and shrubs to supplement conventional fodder. Fodder trees serve as a potential source of quality green fodder to livestock especially during lean periods. Moreover, tree leaves can be cheaper feed supplements than the commercial concentrates and can easily be grown by the small-holder farmers. Leucaena, mulberry, kadamba, calliandra, agathi, moringa and gliricidia are promising fodder tress by virtue of their nutritive foliage, fast growing nature with higher biomass production, amenable to heavy pruning, good coppicing ability and easy management. Moreover, these trees can be grown in close hedgerows as fodder banks in integration with existing crops to maximize productivity in land crunch humid tropical areas. Enhancing tree cover in cropping systems also offers ecosystem services like enhanced carbon storage and associated global warming issues. Forage and nutrient yields, and carbon accretion can be substantially elevated and crop–tree competition can be minimized by appropriate stand management practices and proper regulation of overstorey and understorey components. Extensive studies conducted on tree fodder bank establishment, management and their productive and protective functions in humid tropical cropping systems of South India are reviewed in this paper.

Genotype X Environment Interactions of Fodder Barley Genotypes as Estimated by Ammi, Blup and Non Parametric Measures

Field experiments were carried out at six locations in Northern Hill Zone to evaluate twenty three promising fodder barley genotypes in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) during 2020-21 cropping seasons . Using analytic methods Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interactions (AMMI), Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (BLUP) along with Non Parametric compared to decipher the GxE interactions under multi environment trials. Highly significant about 67.5% variations accounted by environments, 14.1% of GxE interactions and marginally 3.2% by the genotypes in the total sum square of variations for yield the present study. AMMI1 explained 53.7%, 32.1% by AMMI2, 6.9% for AMMI3, AMMI4 accounted for 4.8% respectivelyof a total variation. ASV and ASV1 measures considered 85.9% of the total variation identified G4, G5, G9 genotypes. MASV1 exploited 97.7% of interactions favoured for G18, G15, G8 genotypes. BLUP-based settled for G6, G11, G5 genotypes. Non parametric measures found G9, G8, G1 as suitable genotypes. Further non parametric composites measures selected G9, G4, G8 as suitable genotypes. Measures Si1, Si2, Si3, Si4, Si5,Si6 ,Si7, HMPRVG, ASV1, ASV, accounted more in first principal component whereas NPi (1), NPi (2), NPi (3), NPi (4), PRVG, Si1, GM, Mean, Average were major contributors in second principal component. Very tight positive relationships observed for IPC3, IPC1with BLUP based measures GM, HM, PRVG, HMPRVG, Average in one quadrant. CV closely related to Stdev, IPC2, IPC4 in opposite quadrant. ASV, ASV1 expressed very tight association with Si6,Si7 whereas NPi(1) , exhibited close affinity with Si1 , Si4, Si2 ,Si5 values. Methods utilized in study showed high to moderate degree of association among themselves, however non parametric measures would be recommended for multi environment trials.

COMPREHENSIVE STUDYING THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF PROMISING FODDER GRASSES

The aim of the work was to study the biological activity of extracts of promising fodder grasses Onobrýchis arenária, Galéga orientalis and Rhaponticum carthamoide. The extracts had antiradical, chelating and prooxidant activity and the ability to inhibit the formation of biofilms. The most noticeable biological activity was observed in Galéga orientális, a high-yielding crop rich in protein and fiber. Taking into account the ability of extracts to inhibit the formation of biofilms, it should be recognized that the use of the studied herbs is promising for reducing the colonization of the intestines of ruminants by pathogenic bacteria. Although the extracts showed no antimicrobial activity, they markedly modulated the bacterial response to antibiotics, affecting growth rate, respiration, and number of persisters. In most cases, there was a decrease in the effectiveness of antibiotics such as kanamycin, tetracycline and cefotaxime. The studies used extracts of fodder grasses grown in 2019-2020 on the experimental fields of the Perm Agriculture Research Institute Ural Branch RAS, located in the Lobanovo village, Perm District, Perm region.

Harnessing the tillering ability of Zea mays ssp. parviglumis in fodder maize breeding

Maize (Zea mays L.) has diversified uses in the form of food, feed and fodder. In India green fodder deficit of 61.1 % has been reported. Under this scenario, maize and its wild relatives with its wide adaptability have enormous potential to serve as nutritious fodder. The annual teosinte, Zea mays ssp. parviglumis, the closest ancestor of modern maize has good tillering and re-growth ability. In an experiment on parviglumis, the effect of 30 kg higher nitrogen than recommended dose showed 12.5% and 20% improvement in tiller re-growth ability (multi-cut) and green fodder yield, respectively. In a pilot trial, fresh cut (first cut) and re-growth (at the second cut) whole/unchaffed fodder samples of parviglumis were fed to the adult goats and grower kids (9 months old) of beetal breed. Re-growth based fodder samples were consumed completely (no leftover) by adult goats as well as grower kids, while fresh (first cut) samples had negligible leftover for adult goats but 32% leftover for grower kids. Goats being selective in feeding habits tend to eat soft and leafy parts and avoid hard and thick (stem) parts of fodder plants hence leftover might be lesser if fed to large ruminants. To exploit these traits, parviglumis was crossed to fodder variety, African tall and 11 promising fodder maize inbred lines. The F1 generation of different wide crosses exhibited a good amount of tillering with many tillers ranging from 1 to 15 indicating partial dominant nature of tillering trait and background effect. The further advancement of promising crosses through backcrossing can help to develop multi-tiller as well as multi-cut trait possessing fodder maize cultivars. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the systematic use of Zea mays ssp. parviglumis for harnessing its tillering and re-growth ability in fodder maize breeding programme.

Factors affecting the content of 20-hydroxyecdisone in leuzea carthamoides (review)

Data are presented, published in the period from 2005 to 2019, devoted to the study of the influence of factors of the abiotic environment (temperature, humidity, illumination, soil), anthropogenic impact (growing conditions, fertilizers, growth regulators, harvesting, drying and storage conditions), as well as vegetation, ontogenesis and other conditions for the content of 20-hydroxyecdysone in the safflower leuzea. Safflower Leuzea (Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) IIjin) is a promising fodder plant that has immunostimulating and immunomodulatory properties and has a positive effect on metabolic processes. It is important to study the factors and conditions that contribute to both natural biosynthesis and the accumulation of physiologically active substances in fodder plants, and the preservation of their original content in raw materials during the harvesting and storage process. Natural and climatic conditions of Perm Krai are favorable for the growth of Safflower Leuzea. It is assumed that it is possible to regulate the 20E content in plant material through the creation of an optimal technological regime and a set of agrotechnical methods during cultivation. Stressful situations of short duration can lead to an increase in the content of secondary metabolites in plants in response to environmental influences.

Reproductive analyses of intraspecific Paspalum notatum Flügge hybrids.

Abstract Paspalum notatum is an important forage native to Southern Brazil and one of the most promising fodder species in terms of productivity, quality, resistance and growth speed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproductive mode and fertility of hybrid progenies resulting from artificial crosses among artificially duplicated sexual plants, selected intraspecific hybrids of the UFRGS breeding program and apomictic ecotypes of the species. The resulting F1 progenies were represented by 24 plants with high pollen viability (varying from 82.15 to 99.67%) and 1.2:1 segregation for the sexual: apomictic reproduction mode, indicating predominantly sexual hybrids, due to distorted segregation. In the apomictic plants, most chromosomes paired as bivalents in diakinesis. Since the low presence of abnormalities observed in the meiotic chromosome pairing and the high pollen viability of the hybrids, all plants were confirmed as promising parents for future crosses.

Milk productivity of cows when haylage with biological preservatives is included in the diet

In the Middle Volga region, galega orientalis is used as a promising fodder crop for the legume family. The main disadvantage of galega orientalis is poor silage due to the low sugar content in plants. To eliminate this drawback, Laxil and Silostan biologics have been developed, which are based on live cultures of lactic acid bacteria. The aim of the research was to study the influence of haylage from galega orientalis, prepared with the addition of biological preservatives to the green mass, on milk productivity and milk quality of Holstein cows. In the experimental groups, compared with the control, the quality of haylage, indicators of scar metabolism, digestibility of nutrients in the diet, milk productivity of cows and milk quality were studied. It was found that in 1 kg of silage of the experimental trenches, the contents of metabolic energy, digestible protein, crude fiber were higher. With the inclusion of silage in the ration, the number of bacteria, ciliates, the content of protein nitrogen, the proportion of acetic acid in the composition of volatile fatty acid (VFA) were increased in the rumen fluid in cows. Cows better digested the dry matter of feed, crude protein, and crude fiber. As a result, the yield of milk of cows for 305 days of lactation in terms of basic fat and protein was higher by 11.6-15.9%. The chemical composition and physical properties of milk have improved by all studied indicators.

Breeders\u2019 knowledge on cattle fodder species preference in rangelands of Benin

BackgroundWe undertook ethnobotanical and ecological studies on fodder plants grazed by cattle across Benin national area. The study aims to ascertain the top priority fodder plants in order to catalogue the indigenous knowledge regarding their use.MethodsData were collected through semi-structured interviews and covered 690 breeders and 40 days of pasture walk. These were analysed using similarity index of Jaccard (IS), relative frequency citation (RFC) and fodder value during pasture walk (FVPW).ResultsWe documented a total of 257 fodder plant species, of which 116 recorded during ethnobotanical investigations and 195 during pasture walk. These species belong to 181 genera and 54 families. Both methods shared 52 species. Leaves (58%) and leafy stem (28%) were the most grazed parts of plant. The most common species used as fodder included Andropogon gayanus, Panicum maximum, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Flueggea virosa. The top species with a highest FVPW were Panicum maximum and Pterocarpus erinaceus. A total of 16 species were considered as top fodder plants in Benin.ConclusionsThe wide diversity of plants reported indicates that there is a number of promising fodder species in the flora of Benin. The insight gained in this study relating to bovine feeds could guide in the selection and introduction of feed innovations that could improve livestock production.

Blood profiles of indigenous Pedi goats fed varying levels of <i>Vachellia karroo</i> leaf meal in <i>Setaria verticillata</i> hay-based diet

Vachellia karroo ( Acacia karroo ) is promising fodder for goats in the critical dry season in communal rangelands. The only limitation to the use of this fodder tree is the presence of phenolic compounds, such as condensed tannins. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of tanniniferous V. karroo leaf meal feeding on blood profiles of indigenous Pedi goats fed a basal diet of Setaria verticillata grass hay. Twenty indigenous Pedi goats, weighing 18 ± 2 kg, were allocated in a completely randomized design to five dietary treatments containing V. karroo leaf meal at 20% (S 80 A 20 ), 25% (S 75 A 25 ), 30% (S 70 A 30 ), 40% (S 60 A 40 ) and 50% (S 50 A 50 ) of the total diet in a 22-day trial. Twelve ml of blood were collected from the jugular vein from each goat before and after the experiment for haematological and serum biochemical assays. Daily dry matter intake (DMI) was similar across treatments, ranging from 633 g to 765 g per goat per day. There was no difference in initial and final bodyweights of goats consuming various experimental diets. However, bodyweight gains were significantly higher in goats fed a diet with 50% leaf meal as compared with other treatment groups. There were no differences in haematological indices of Pedi goats except for mean corpuscular haemoglobin (Hb) concentration. Goats fed 50% leaf meal had significantly lower mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values as compared with other treatment groups. Similarly, there were no differences in the blood serum chemistry of goats that consumed various inclusion levels of V. karroo , except for serum total protein (TP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Goats fed 50% leaf meal had depressed serum TP, while serum enzyme Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration decreased significantly in goats fed 25% leaf meal as compared with those on the 20% dietary treatment. Tannin concentration of 8.2 g/kg dry matter (DM) had no toxic effect on experimental animals. A 40 % inclusion of V. karroo in a Setaria verticillata hay-based diet may be fed to indigenous Pedi goats without compromising the immunity system and health of the animals. Keywords: Condensed tannin, fodder, haematology, serum

Intercropping AUS rice with different seed rates of Blackgram as fodder

A field experiment was conducted to explore the feasibility of blackgram fodder production in Aus rice as intercropping system at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh from March to July 2009. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The fodder crop was sown at various densities as sole crop for comparison. Growth parameters, yield components and yields were higher in sole cropping. Economic analysis reveals that intercropping systems showed better performance in terms of gross, net return and benefit cost ratio compared to sole cropping of main or fodder crop at various plant populations per unit area. Intercropping blackgram as fodder with 50 kg seed ha-1 in Aus rice row sowing of 25 cm would be the promising fodder production with minimum grain yield loss of rice with higher profit. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v12i1.21108 SAARC J. Agri., 12(1): 9-19 (2014)

Fodder Distribution Operations as Sustainable Economic Progress in Semi-Urban Areas

The livestock is a sub-sector of the agricultural sector, which adds almost 32% of agricultural output in India. India assists 20% of the livestock population of the world, covering 2.3% geographical area. Recent population trends of India are not matching with the required trend of livestock growth rate due to various reasons, which signifies that India would have to import milk by 2021 and price negotiation could be a problem, if the milk production does not increases at the rate of 5.5% to 180 million tonnes. For economic and sustainable livestock, it is essential to understand the significance of fodder as sustainable produce in the peri-urban areas because semi urban livestock farming and promising fodder bazaars are pointers of rapidly shifting economic circumstances in the livestock sub-sector. This signifies smooth supply of fodder for sustainable livestock population. The present study is an attempt to integrate fodder with sustainable developmental approaches, which includes examining various fodder related objectives. This objective involved analyzing fodder distribution channels in fodder retailing, price margin between the different points of channels, and women's participation in fodder retailing. In this study, data was collected from primary and secondary sources. For collecting primary data, three peri-urban areas - Kolkata in West Bengal, Guwahati in Assam and Agartala in Tripura were considered for the study. The total sample size was 480 respondents, which included producers, retailers or traders, commission agents, and consumers of fodder. The respondents were interviewed randomly in the study area with the help of a structured interview schedule. Simple statistical analysis like percentage analysis was used to achieve the objectives of the study. The expected outcomes of the study are a pre-requisite for sustainable development of semi urban economy related to improvement of producers' share in consumers' rupee, elimination of the middlemen menace, participation of women in fodder retailing and eliminating credit and the price interlocking system.

Drought resistance at the seedling stage in the promising fodder plant tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata)

The perennial legume Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) C.H. Stirt. var. albomarginata (tedera) has been identified as a promising fodder plant for the southern Australian wheatbelt, but little is known about its drought resistance as a seedling. This study was conducted to (i) examine physiological and morphological responses to water stress of seedlings of tedera, in comparison with lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.) and Afghan melon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.), and (ii) investigate drought adaptation mechanisms of tedera seedlings. Seedlings were grown in a reconstructed field soil profile in pots in a glasshouse. By 25 days after sowing (DAS), plants of all species in the drought-stressed (DS) treatment had experienced water stress, with an average leaf relative water content (RWC) of 66% in DS compared with 79% in well-watered (WW) plants. Tedera, biserrula and Afghan melon maintained a higher RWC than lucerne. At 25 DAS, reductions in shoot dry matter in the DS treatment differed between species: 52% for Afghan melon, 36% for biserrula, 27% for lucerne, and no significant reduction for tedera. Paraheliotropic leaf angles of biserrula, lucerne and tedera were all higher in the DS treatment than in the WW treatment at 25, 32 and 52 DAS. This study revealed significant differences in rooting depth and stomatal conductance between the three legume species when under water stress, with tedera being the most drought-resistant. Traits that may allow tedera to survive a dry period following opening rains include vigorous seedling growth, early taproot elongation, effective stomatal control and paraheliotropic leaf movements.

Nutritional evaluation of bamboo cultivars in sub‐Himalayan region of India by chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation

AbstractBamboo leaves at similar maturity from 12 different species, namely Sasa auricoma, Bambusa nutans, Bambusa bambos, Phyllostachys aurea, Bambusa tulda, Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa ventricosa, Dendrocalamus strictus, Melocanna baccifera, Dendrocalamus hookerii, Bambusa vulgaris and Dendrocalamus hamiltonii growing at the bamboo fields of Himachal Pradesh, India were selected for evaluation of their nutritive value based on their use as cattle feed at different places in India. The evaluation parameters were chemical composition, in vitro gas production (IVGP) and its kinetic parameters, in vitro dry matter (IVDMTD) and organic matter true degradability (IVOMTD), partitioning factor (PF), ammonia N production, methane and short chain fatty acids production. The compositional value (g kg−1 DM) of bamboo leaves with respect to crude protein from 146 (B. tulda) to 204 (D. hamiltonii), acid detergent lignin from 49 (M. baccifera) to 94 (B. ventricosa), acid insoluble ash from 44 (D. hookerii) to 110 (B. vulgaris) and other constituents and their correlation with various in vitro ruminal degradability parameters, suggested that M. baccifera, D. hookerii, D. hamiltonii and D. asper could be promising fodder species. Among the promising ones, Melocanna baccifera had higher μ (maximum rate of gas production at the point of inflection of the gas curve) and lower t1/2 (halfway time to the maximum gas volume), higher IVDMTD (482 g kg−1 DM), IVOMTD (548 g kg−1 OM), and microbial mass (19.6% of DM), and less contribution of substrate to ammonia N production and narrower acetate: propionate ratio with increased metabolizable energy concentration (7.92 MJ kg−1 DM). Thus, Melocanna baccifera may be ranked as the best cultivar. Above all the bamboo cultivars, M. baccifera, D. hookerii, D. hamiltonii and D. asper were considered as promising fodder for the ruminant livestock.

Stylosanthes guianensis as a short-term fallow crop for improving upland rice productivity in northern Laos

In northern Laos, rapid population growth and government policies to reduce the area under slash-and-burn systems have resulted in increased cropping intensity, which has increased weed pressure and reduced yields of upland rice. Promising alternative cropping systems include the use of weed-suppressing and multi-purpose legumes as short-term fallow crops. In this study, Stylosanthes guianensis (stylo), a promising fodder species, was seeded into upland rice at different times to identify the appropriate time of seeding. The objective is to optimize the establishment and survival of stylo during the rice growing season, and achieve high stylo biomass accumulation during fallow period, while minimizing competition with the upland rice crop during stylo establishment period. Seeding times ranged from 0 day (seeded with rice) to 83 days after rice sowing (DARS) in two experiments. In experiment 1, stylo was grown as a one-year fallow crop while in experiment 2 stylo was grown as a dry season fallow crop. The effect of stylo fallows on the subsequent rice yield, weed biomass and soil nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) availability was evaluated in comparison with a natural weedy fallow (control). In experiment 2, the effect of burning and mulching fallow residues prior to the rice crop was also evaluated. Rice yields were reduced by an average of 55% when stylo was seeded at the same time as rice (0 DARS). When stylo was seeded later than 15 DARS, no competition effect on the accompanied rice growth was observed. Delaying stylo seeding substantially decreased total stylo and weed biomass at the end of fallow period. Following a stylo fallow, rice yields were up to 0.6 t/ha higher and weed biomass was up to 60% less compared to the natural fallow (control). Furthermore, soil available N content was higher following stylo fallows. In experiment 2, the rice yields were similar when fallow residues were burned or mulched but weed biomass tended to be lower when the residues were burned. In conclusion, either pruning stylo after seeding it at the time of rice sowing or seeding stylo 15 days after rice sowing minimizes competition with upland rice while optimizing establishment and biomass accumulation of stylo during fallow period. While relay-seeding stylo appears to improve rice productivity in the short-term, the long-term sustainability of the system needs further evaluation.